Sewing machine frames



3 Sheets-Sheet l L. E. M GANN. JR

SEWING MACHINE FRAMES INVENTOR. Lea E McGann, Jr. BY

, A TORNEY July 11, 1967 Filed June 14, 1965 WITNESS y 1-1, 1957 L. E. M GANN, JR 3,330,237

SEWING MACHINE FRAMES Filed June 14, 1965 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Leo E. Mr: Gan/7., Jr. WITNESS Y ATTORNEY y 11, 1967 1.. M GANN, JR 3,330,237

- SEWING MACHINE FRAMES Filed June 14, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

LEO E. Mc6ann,Jr.

' V ATTORNEY WITNESS United States Patent 3,330,237 SEWING MACHINE FRAMES New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 14, 1965, Ser. No. 463,677 4 Claims. (Cl. 112258) This invention relates to improvements in sewing machine frames and to mounting platforms for sewing machine mechanisms and more particularly to a mounting platform which is housed Wholly inside the hollow standard of a sewing machine having a stylized frame.

In sewing machines made for family use, there is a trend away from the traditional frame designs of the past toward more highly stylized frame designs. Frame designs may be stylized to present a modern appearance or to accomplish a more functional purpose, such as increasing the visibility of the work area. Whatever the reason, the new frame designs present vexing problems as to how to incorporate the various mechanisms inside the frame. In addition, in order to increase the versatility of the machines, increasingly complicated mechanisms are being used which further aggravate the problem of how to fit and mount the various mechanisms inside the frame.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a mounting platform for sewing machine mechanisms especially suited for use with a wide variety of different stylized frame designs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting platform for sewing machine mechanisms on which it is easy to assemble and disassemble the mechanisms.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting platform for sewing machine mechanisms in which connecting means for connecting the needle jogging mechanism to the needle bar is the only part of the needle jogging mechanism which is inside the hollow bracket arm.

The main feature of this invention is the provision for a substantially horizontal mounting platform which is housed wholly inside the hollow standard of a sewing machine. Since the horizontal mounting platform can conform to the interior shape of any hollow standard and connecting means for connecting the needle jogging mechanism to the needle bar is the only part of the needle jogging mechanism which need be inside the hollow bracket arm, a wide variety of different stylized frame designs can be readily employed without substantially changing the internal mechanisms of the sewing machines. The mounting platform facilitates assembly and disassembly of the mechanisms, and the hollow bracket arm is clear to accommodate additional mechanisms.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned front elevational view of a zigzag sewing machine incorporating the invention with the control panels removed to disclose the interior of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the sewing machine of FIG. 1 with the top cover open and the internal mechanisms removed;

FIG. 4 is a head end view of the sewing machine showing an operator seated in front of the machine; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawings, the invention is illustrated as incorporated in a zigzag sewing machine having a stylized frame with an exterior shape similar to the 3,330,237 Patented July 11, 1967 frame disclosed in the copending United States patent application of H. Dreyfuss, Ser. No. 264,869, filed Mar. 13, 1963, now Patent No. 3,204,594, granted September 7, 1965. The frame includes a work-supporting bed 10 adapted to be supported horizontally on a table 10a at table height and used by an operator seated on a chair 10b in front of the machine, a hollow standard 11 rising from one end of the work-supporting bed and having a portion 11a of the upper surface substantially perpendicular to the line of sight 11b of the operator when the operator is seated in front of the machine with the worksupporting bed supported at table height, a hollow bracket arm 12 at the top of the standard extending longitudinally over the work-supporting bed at the rear of a vertical plane through the longitudinal medial line 12a of the work-supporting bed, and a sewing head 13 at the free end of the bracket arm extending forwardly from the bracket arm. For the purposes of this specification, the bracket arm 12 is defined as only that portion of the frame overhanging the work-supporting bed 10 and excluding the sewing head 13.

Mounted in the sewing head 13 is a needle bar 14 adapted to carry a needle 15. Reciprocating motion is imparted to the needle bar through an arm shaft 16 which is journaled in bearings 17 inside the hollow bracket arm 12. The arm shaft is connected to the needle bar by a conventional crank-type connection indicated generally at 18. Rotary motion is imparted to the arm shaft by an electric motor 19 through a worm gear indicated generally at 20.

Cast integrally with the hollow standard 11 is a substantially horizontal mounting platform 21 which is located inside the hollow standard. Mounting bosses 22 are formed on the mounting platform for a needle jogging mechanism indicated generally at 23. The needle jogging mechanism is of the type disclosed in a United States patent of R. E. Johnson, No. 2,862,468, granted Dec. 2, 1958, which includes a cam stack 24, a stitchwidth control lever 25, and a needle-position control lever 26. The needle jogging mechanism is connected to the needle bar 14 through a connecting rod 27 and a needle bar gate 28.

The motor 19 is supported underneath the mounting platform 21 between a hole 29 in the mounting platform and a hole 30 in a bracket 31 which is connected to the front of the hollow standard 11 by a screw 32. Rubber grommets 33 and 34 are provided in the holes 29 and 30, respectively, to absorb motor vibrations and to insulate the machine frame from the motor.

Depending from the front of the mounting platform 21 are brackets 35 and 36 which are connected between the mounting platform and the front of the hollow standard 11 by screws 37 and 38, respectively. One bracket 35 supports an on-olf switch 39 for the motor 19, and the other bracket 36 provides a guide for a stitch-length control lever 40 representing part of a work feeding mechanism. Other parts of the Work feeding mechanism may also be mounted on the mounting platform 21.

The front of the hollow standard 11 is closed by control panels 41, 42 and 43 and the top of the machine is closed by .a top cover 44 which is connected to the top of the machine by hinges 45. By simply opening the top cover 44, the mounting platform 21 can be fully exposed for ease of assembly and disassembly of mechanisms on the mounting platform. Since the connecting rod 27 is the only part of the needle jogging mechanism 23 which is inside the hollow bracket arm 12, the hollow bracket arm is clear to accommodate other mechanisms. The connecting rod 27 can be bent to conform to many different contours and he mounting platform 21 can be shaped to conform to the interior shapes of many different hollow standards. Thus, by using the principles a of this invention, most of the conventional restrictions invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is:

1. In a zigzag sewing machine including a hollow standard, a laterally extending bracket arm at the top of the standard, a cover at the top of the standard, a sewing head at the free end of the bracket arm, a needle bar mounted in the sewing head, a needle secured to the needle bar, means for imparting endwise reciprocation to the needle bar, a needle jogging mechanism, and connecting means for connecting the needle jogging mechanism' to the needle bar, the improvement wherein a substantially horizontal mounting platform is housed wholly inside the hollow standard at an intermediate portion of the standard, mounting means are formed on the mounting platform, and the needle jogging mechanism is removably assembled on the mounting platform, the top cover providing access to the mounting platform.

2. In a zigzag sewing machine including a stylized hollow standard, a laterally extending stylized hollow bracket arm at the top of the standard, a cover at the top of the standard, a sewing head at the free end of the bracket arm, a needle bar mounted in the sewing head, a needle secured to the needle bar, means for imparting endwise reciprocation to the needle bar, a needle jogging mechanism, and connecting means for connecting the needle jogging mechanism to the needle bar, the improvement wherein a substantially horizontal mounting platform is housed wholly inside the hollow standard at an intermediate portion of the standard, mounting means are 'formed on the mounting platform, and the needle jogging mechanism is removably assembled on the mounting platform, said connecting means being the only part of the needle jogging mechanism which is inside the ho]- low bracket arm and'the top cover providing access to the mounting platform.

3. In a zigzag sewing machine including a hollow standard, a laterally extending bracket arm at the top of the standard a cover at the top of the standard, a sewing head at the free end of the bracket arm, a needle bar mounted in the sewing head, a needle securedto the needle bar, means for imparting endwise reciprocation to the needle bar, a needle jogging mechanism, connecting means for connecting the needle jogging mechanism to the needle bar, and a motor, the improvement wherein a substantially horizontal mounting platform is housed wholly inside the hollow standard at an intermediate portion of the standard, mounting means are formed on the mounting platform, the needle jogging mechanism is removably assembled on the mountingplatfor-m, and the motor is supported by the mounting platform, the top cover providing access to the mounting platform.

a 4. A frame for a sewing machine comprising a worksupporting bed adapted to be supported horizontally on a table at table height and used by an operator seated infront of the machine, a hollow standard rising from one end of the work-supporting bed and having a portion of the upper surface substantially perpendicular to the line of sight of the operator when the operator is seated in front of the machine with the work-supporting bed 'supported at table height, a bracket arm at the top of the standard extending longitudinally over the work-supporting bed at the rear of a vertical plane through thelongitudinal medial 'line of the work-supporting bed a cover at the top of the standard, a sewing head at the free end of the bracket arm extending forwardly from the bracket arm, a needle bar mounted in the sewing head, a needle secured to the needle bar, means for imparting endwise reciprocation to the needle bar, a needle jogging mechanism, connecting means for connecting the needle jogging mechanism to the needle bar, a substantially hori-' zontal mounting platform housed wholly inside the hol 'low standard at an intermediate portion of the standard,

mounting means formed on the mounting platform, and

means for removably assembling the needle jogging mechanism on the mounting platform, the top cover providing.

access to the mounting platform.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 344,872 7/1886 Schulze-Berge 1 12159 2,318,442 5/1943 Way et al 112258 X 3,054,368 9/1962 Bono 1122'20 3,204,594 9/1965 7 Dreyfuss 112-258 3,216,381 11/1965 Bono 112258 X JORDAN'FRA'NKLIN, Primary Examiner. G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE INCLUDING A HOLLOW STANDARD, A LATERALLY EXTENDING BRACKET ARM AT THE TOP OF THE STANDARD, A COVER AT THE TOP OF THE STANDARD, A SEWING HEAD AT THE FREE END OF THE BRACKET ARM, A NEEDLE BAR MOUNTED IN THE SEWING HEAD, A NEEDLE SECURED TO THE NEEDLE BAR, MEANS FOR IMPARTING ENDWISE RECIPROCATION TO THE NEEDLE BAR, A NEEDLE JOGGING MACHANISM, AND CONNECTING MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE NEEDLE JOGGING MECHANISM TO THE NEEDLE BAR, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL MOUNTING PLATFORM IS HOUSED WHOLLY INSIDE THE HOLLOW STANDARD AT AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE STANDARD MOUNTING MEANS ARE FORMED ON THE MOUNTING PLATFORM, AND THE NEEDLE JOGGING MECHANISM IS REMOVABLY ASSEMBLED ON THE MOUNTING PLATFORM, THE TOP COVER PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE MOUNTING PLATFORM. 